The Wild Hunt
by Weirdlet
Summary: The hunter comes face to face with with a pursuit of a different sort . . .


Europe, high summer, extremely hot, a forest 

The Wild Hunt

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_Europe, high summer, _extremely_ hot, a forest . . ._

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr, elder of his clan, hunter of thirty eight worlds, nineteen times a sire in his hundred and forty years (two hundred and seventy something by this world's calculations), and hoping to win the right to breed again this season, had decided to try his hand at _huurrrehhhhhra_.It still amazed his clan and friends that in all his years he had never hunted the clever creatures whose structure so resembled their own.But he had set his sights on the favor of a female of a _very _dominant clan, and nothing less than an utterly new challenge for him was going to attract her attention over the dozens of others competing.

He stepped out of the ship, shaking his head and sending his _r-reh_ flying about, striking off his hunting-mask.As they settled again, the bone rings clicked against one another, the vertebrae of his first big kill that marked his adulthood.Though, at his age they weren't necessary to show maturity as the scars along his body and wear on his armor provided evidence quite enough.

The hunt-leader, the one who made sure that only honorable kills were made, that breakers of the honor codes were punished, and who was generally in charge of the expedition, had assigned him to scout the area and make sure that _huurrrehhhhhra_ were not so close that they risked discovery.Most times, hunters and warriors and their kind preferred honest and face-to-face dealings, but the hunting of such clever and vengeful beasts required hiding their ships and themselves.So Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr took to the trees and activated his cloak, to the eyes of any creature there turning to a glassy moving statue, as transparent as a figure of living water.So disguised, the experienced hunter moved off into the forest, prepared for a new challenge.

He had wandered the trees for a day, and returned to the ship, reporting respectfully to the hunt-leader that there were no _huurrrehhhhhra _within a day's distance, almost two rotations of this world on its axis. Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr then went to finish final preparations for the hunt, praying to the Burning Goddess, hoping She would favor him.It was a common thing to be lightning-struck in the swamps of home, where storms out of the rainy season tended to be ten or fifteen days apart, but to be marked on a different world by the Goddess's spear was considered highest favor.

The hunters all prepared, and soon they spread out from the ship in a widening circle, each off to find their own hunting territory.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr did not rush as the younger hunters did.He had already sired young, and was not desperate as younger males were to prove themselves.Females hunted to attract the attention of successful male warriors, but it was nowhere near so vital for them, almost a diversion for them.

On his own time, it had been a little less than half a day when this world's sun went down, and the warm air chilled slightly.It wasn't enough to slow the cold-blooded hunter, but it was a warning.The comfortable heat of the summer season in this part of the _huurrrehhhhhra's_ world would not last.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr wandered through the forest treetops for three of his days, five sunsets and some hours more.He saw neither hide nor hair of _huurrrehhhhhra_.But they should be nearby to his current location, within another day or so of travel.Having fed on a local creature, called a _hare_ by natives, he settled to rest high in the canopy of a tree with spiky-looking leaves.Arranging himself in the branches so he did not accidentally turn off the cloaking, Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr settled into dreaming.

He awoke to a high howl, off in the distance, one that strangely seemed to run the Cold God's icy talons down his spine.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr was immediately alert, climbing onto lower branches where he could travel the branching roads made by the tree limbs.The howl had come somewhere far to the right, from maybe a few miles away, but it carried.

The hunter furrowed his brows behind his mask.This could be interesting, and there were different prey species than _huurrrehhhhhra_ in this world, like the _bears_ reported by that one young hunter who had also reported strange one-horned beasts that refused to fight.Stretching slightly, he set off through the mist that had started wreathing the trees.

Another hunter heard the howl, many miles away, and smiled, the fang-baring grin unseen in the darkness that crowned the antlered head.Eyes glowed a dim red in his fair face, cloaked by the traditional mask of darkness woven for the Wild Hunt.

This was far more than the ordinary ride over the land, to frighten mortals into obedience.This was an ancient rite, the hunt and courtship and the winning of the queen.Half the court rode behind the antler crowned king, the other half behind the queen, who would ride this night and do battle, and if she found her current mate lacking, choose another, whoever beat her at the hunt and the sword.

The flame-eyed black horses stamped and rattled their tack, eager for a run.The hound slavered and their hackles rose, eager to sink fairy-teeth into mortal-flesh.The king raised his sword, and with a silent fall of the blade, the Wild Hunt was on.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr slowed his rush through the trees and traded speed for silence as he saw the strange sight before him.Riders, seemingly _huurrrehhhhhra_, were mounted on those odd four-legged ungulates, and he sensed restlessness among them, the packs of carnivores at their heels, and the weird riders atop them.

He looked at what seemed to be the leader, a seeming female _huurrrehhhhhra_.She wore a cloak that fluttered in the non-existent wind like the wings of some creature of the night air.Her mane floated like a mist, and, as once again the unexplained icy talons of fear slid down his back, he almost thought it was mist.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr shook his head with as little movement as he could, berating himself.

_Don't be so stupid, hunter!There is nothing to fear, it's just a _huurrrehhhhhra_, in the name of the Goddess!_

Still, the gathering of mounted _huurrrehhhhhra_ made him uneasy, for no reason that he could bring to mind._Argh, stupid hunter, the Cold God devours those who fall prey to unwarranted fear!And this is certainly unwarranted!_

Wait-were _huurrrehhhhhra_ supposed to have such long, pointed ears?And, as he watched further, were they supposed to change temperature until each was black as a cold-season night, with eyes that glowed a fiery red?!

This certainly warranted his interest!

The high queen tossed her head, her hair like a mare's mane blending into the mists.The traditional veil of darkness was cast over them to all spectrums.And now she would find prey for the Wild Hunt, to feed and strengthen for the battle ahead.

She raised her fine head to the winds, scenting anything within a hundred miles, and looked toward the trees where, believing itself unseen, a strange little mortal watched, from a world beyond this.It would be good prey.

The queen, crowned in her mane of mists, raised her sword, and gave a long high howl, sliding from one pitch to the next as easily as her teeth through mortal flesh.She brought the sword down, straight at the otherworld mortal, clad in mask and shadow-net.

And with that, the Wild Hunt truly was on.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr did _not_ like that howl the leader gave.He liked the fact that she pointed a long knife vat him even less.Behind his mask he snarled and furrowed his browridges.His confusion didn't last for long, because even one normally the predator knew what it meant when a pack of strange prey beasts started running toward him.Still cloaked, he tried to slide off between the trees.

As he went from creeping to running through the branching road, the pack followed him, riders, ridden, and slobbering carnivores apparently kept for running down beasts.As he ran the only thing that was able to exist in his mind was the thought of _THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!_Even that simple line was nearly drowned out by the din of the hunting pack behind, screeches of the hunters, hoofbeats and crashing brush from their mounts, the barks and snarls of the hunting-beasts.

On the chase went, never allowing him a chance to fade away from their sight, not that he thought it would do much good.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr was certain these were more than the prey-beast _huurrrehhhhhra_ they had looked to be.Perhaps he had attracted the eye of the Cold God, the One Who Brings Fear and Madness, and the sire of demons.These certainly seemed to be His offspring, because no normal _huurrrehhhhhra_, from what he knew from other hunters, would ever try this, hunting the hunter, or being able to see or scent him.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr panted behind his mask, a wet, rasping sound within the muscular throat that could close itself off from water and shape to mimic many sounds.The dark hunters, black as ice and eyes glowing like fire, were not giving up, and, amazing as it was given his endurance, he was nearly spent from the long, painful chase.He nearly didn't catch the branch he intended to leap to, and pulled something in the struggle to get moving again.

There was no time for the short screech of pain bubbling in his chest, he kept running through the trees, chest heaving painfully.It had been hours, it seemed, since the start of this.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr, in his exhaustion, barely noticed that the trees ended.In desperation, he leapt, and saw the rushing stream below him as he crossed it.

He landed with a huge splash close to the far bank, his cloaking sparking and shorting out.He quickly turned it off, not needing the distraction, and turned to see-

The queen howled in a scream of frustration and anger.This mortal had crossed running water, and was now officially barred from being run down and eaten in the Wild Hunt!Now she must find another, probably a stag or a boar, and they _never_ tasted as good as an intelligent mortal for the courtship feast!

The outworld mortal stared up at them from across the stream, panting audibly to their sensitive ears.The queen snarled again, and with her sword made the gestures that officially cut the beast off from the hunt.It deserved it, for evading them so long as to reach running water, and now even if the Hunt came across it again this night, they would not run it down and eat it.

With another eerie howl, the queen turned the Hunt and raced into the misty night, and far away came a roar as the king brought down his kill and feasted, gaining strength to win his queen over and win her back.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr watched the riders turn, and telling himself he must be crazier than a sacrifice beast in the breeding season, followed.They'd aroused his interest, and he wanted to learn all he could about the not-_huurrrehhhhhra_, thinking of it as a challenge to see if he could follow these creatures and not get killed.

He waded across the stream, turned on his cloaking, and took once more to the trees.

He followed the riders through the forest, barely keeping up.Sometimes one of them would look up, and he got the unpleasant sensation of being seen and smirked at.Growling, still he followed.

Eventually the leader seemed to scent a different beast, and the riders took off.And when he caught up, he saw the leader messily devouring a creature called a _deer_, horned like a sacrifice beast in the home fens.The leader savaged the carcass and a few drops of blood hit him as he watched.

Eventually she finished and the others joined her at the _deer_'s flesh.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr watched with interest, and then a thought caught him- _Would they have done that to me if I'd been caught?_

Suppressing that thought, he caught his breath as they riders tore the _deer_ apart with their teeth.Soon they finished, and he followed as they mounted and were off again.

The queen did not acknowledge the mortal following her hunting party, for now that she had a full stomach she was ready to battle, the strength of the flesh consumed readying her for the eons old courtship between fairy king and fairy queen. 

On they rode, until they came to an ancient clearing, the mushrooms circling the broad space showing this was sacred to the fair folk.Her king was waiting, his proud antlered head held high and his sword ready.

Dismounting, the hunter and huntress prepared to court.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr slowed as the riders did, and from his vantage point in the trees could see the new pack of dark riders, led by a male with the horns of a sacrifice beast or a _deer_ branching above his head.Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr had seen so many highly unlikely things this night, he wasn't even surprised at this unusual crown.He simply stayed in the tree and watched.

The two leaders dismounted and drew their long knives, and started to duel, or at least that's what it looked like to him.The riders stood and watched, the small carnivores for running down animals whining and rubbing against their masters to be stroked calmingly.

Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr watched in rapt fascination.This was a fighting style he had never witnessed before, but it reminded him of a long ago history tale, of one hunter seeing _huurrrehhhhhra_ fight one another with long knives like those the leader fought with.He noted to himself to ask the lore-keeper of the clan if he got back alive.

The fight went on, keeping his attention strike after strike, until it seemed to come to a draw.The leaders threw down their swords, and to Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr's utter amazement and confusion, _embraced?!_

The queen had found her king suiting, and accepted him.Now it was time for celebration, and with a wave of her arm, the fairy ring became suiting for a dance of the fair-folk.It was in their mercurial nature, to be one moment bloodthirsty hunters and at another playful and mischievous.The king and queen drew one another into a dance within the fairy ring, and the others, in an instant stripped of their hunting attire, joined in the revelry that would last till dawn.

No one noticed the outworld mortal, who shook his head in absolute amazement and left.

Several days later, Krrrrrerrrrgrrurrrr arrived back at the ship.He stopped all questions with a _look_, and went immediately to the ship's mechanic, reportedly wanting to know _exactly_ what he had been breathing the past few days.The mechanic, a City Dweller from the home world where advanced technology came from the cowardly dwellers of dry land and was traded for by swamp-dwelling warriors, said that it was just fine and no, there were not hallucinogens in his breathing gasses.

The elder hunter looked doubtful, but accepted the mechanic's word, and set off to hunt _huurrrehhhhhra_, in the precise opposite direction from which he had come.


End file.
